Thessaly had a reputation in antiquity for producing magical practitioners. This was the land where witches lived, traveled, and worked their magic using the rich variety of local flora. "The Thessalian women" became synonymous with "witches," in part due to ancient Greece's most famous witch, who stopped in the region on her travels. In this video, we'll take a tour of this magic land and explore the religious and magical activities of its inhabitants.

Many thanks to Matt Lupu for lending his voice to Lucius in this episode. You can find Matt's work on ancient history on Instagram @lupupod and here:    / @themattlupupodcast  

Ancient Sources:
Plutarch, Moralia, Conjugalia Praecepta 145cd
Plutarch, Moralia, De Defectu Oraculorum 13
Scholion to Apollonius of Rhodes, Argonautica 4.5961
Apuleius, Golden Ass 2.1 (Kenney's translation: https://www.amazon.com/GoldenAssPen...)
Lucan, Bellum Civile Book 6 (Braund's translation: https://www.amazon.com/CivilWarOxfo...)

Bibliography (secondary scholarship):
Bicknell, Peter. "The witch Aglaonice and dark lunar eclipses in the second and first centuries BC." Journal of the British Astronomical Association 93 (1983): 160163.
https://adsabs.harvard.edu/full/1983J...

Mili, Maria. Religion And Society In Ancient Thessaly. First Edition. Oxford, United Kingdom: Oxford University Press, 2015.
[especially ch. 6]
Expensive copy to buy: https://www.amazon.com/ReligionSocie...

Theme music: "Descent from the Olympos Pentatonic." (original)

Website: www.hearthofhaemonia.com 
IG: @hearthofhaemonia
Contact: [email protected] 

Chapters:
00:00 Introduction
02:43 Thessalian Life
05:36 Witchcraft
09:21 Literary History
17:03 Aglaonike
25:04 Wrap Up / Thank you!

Stock footage and music from Envato Elements.

Images:
Map of the Balkan Peninsula: public domain (via Wikimedia Commons)
Drachma depicting cavalry and infantry, Pellina, Thessaly: CNG Coins (via Wikimedia Commons)
Battle of Issus Mosaic: public domain (via Wikimedia Commons)
Greek Post Card, Paysans de Thessalie: public domain (via Wikimedia Commons)
Thessaly CityStates map: http://wringher.blogspot.com/2014/05/...
Relief sculpture, Taqe Bustan, Kermanshah, Iran: Ninara (via Wikimedia Commons)
Cover of Mili's Book: (Amazon)
Hermes depicted on a black figure kylix: Katolophyromai (via Wikimedia Commons)
Hermes guiding the dead on a lekythos vase: ArchaiOpix (via Wikimedia Commons)
Coin of Ennodia, Pherai, Thessaly: ArchaiOpix (via Wikimedia Commons)
Medea, Frederick Sandys (18661868): public domain (via Wikimedia Commons)
The Battle of Pharsalus and the Death of Pompey, Apollonio di Giovanni & Marco del Buono Giamberti (14551460): public domain (via Wikimedia Commons)
(2 images) Erichtho, John Hamilton Mortimer: https://www.mutualart.com/Artwork/Sex... XanonymusX (via Wikimedia Commons)
Braund's translation of Lucan: (Amazon)
Kenney's translation of Apuleius: (Amazon)
Salem MA (modern day): https://www.timeout.com/boston/news/c...
The Witch House, Salem, MA: SalemPuritan (via Wikimedia Commons)
Bust of Plutarch: Odysses (via Wikimedia Commons)
Modern portrait of Aglaonike (Aglaonice): Alzinous (via Wikimedia Commons)